Philippines-United States Business Council

The Philippines-United States Business Council is composed of the top executives of leading corporations in the Philippines with close business ties to American corporations. It was organized in 1987 after President Corazon Aquino’s state visit to the US.

The council’s objectives are to enhance and promote Philippine-US business relations through its counterpart US-Philippine Business Committee, the Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce, the US-ASEAN Business Council, and individual companies and partners. Over the long term, the tangible results expected are increased trade and investments from the US.

Since 1987, the council has sponsored business missions to the US and hosted visiting US missions. In 1993, the council joined President Fidel Ramos in his trip to the US as part of the official business delegation. The council also actively promoted business in the Philippines during the October 1995 US visit of President Ramos, organizing a business seminar in New York.

The signing in 22 April 2002 of a Business Framework Agreement between the council and the US-Philippine Business Committee of the US-ASEAN Business Council is seen as a significant development in strengthening the two countries’ business ties. The agreement calls for dialogue and joint action in six areas: trade and investment, promoting the Philippines as a regional hub, developing human resources in e-commerce, energy sector development, agricultural development through technology, and tourism.